apparently I’m the meanest mom in the whole wide world (quote unquote)
cause i don’t let my kids waste their summer by sitting on the couch.
(gasp. my wart on my nose grows bigger each day)
I just don’t like idleness.
I also don’t like them acting like it’s MY RESPONSIBILITY to entertain them
or to keep their room cleans.
I also don’t like bad breath.
and my kids will NOT brush my teeth without me telling them too.
which is gross.
So…two months ago I made up chore charts (and just getting around to sharing #awesomeness #not)
there is a list that is stuff that has to be done EVERYDAY! like hygiene.
(check dishwasher means I have a sign and when it says clean they need to unload it) (they each pick a part. top, bottom and utensils)
and I do laundry randomally as needed…they help pull it out of the dryer and sort into piles and then each kids has to put their own piles away (I help the 6 year old hang up the clothes in the closet) but she puts away everything else)
and then I broke down each day was a specific thing…like vacuuming and dusting and whatnot.
I also didn’t want them to fall behind in school work…so i included journal writing, writing letters or thank you notes, and when the kids came home from school with extra pages that weren’t completed in their workbooks…i saved these and they get to do a page.
(see…meanest mom.)
smartest kids…but meanest mom.
(FYI: amore is our dog)
I am BIG on chores. anything to lighten my load…and teach my kids a little responsiblilty (let me tell you…the first time my 10 year old cleaned the bathroom, she was like, “who left this toilet paper sitting here? who didn’t wash their toothpaste down the sink!” she totally cared and realized that a clean house doesn’t grow on trees.
here a great reference if you need help with age appropriate chores:
I also did a checklist to help them make sure they did their chores properly ( I walked them through them the first time so they knew not to spray the entire bottle of pledge on my table (true story)
and dusting upstairs(the names are a reminder of who has mirrors that need cleaning)
we also use the uh oh jar for any sassyness /fighting that abounds! (each stick has a chore on it–caught being bad you have to pick one!)
(and here’s the printables if you want to join the mean mom tribe.
Ashley W. says
I love this! I started something similar with my 6 year old this summer. I was tired of her bedroom floor always being covered in crap (especially since we have a toy room)! Every morning she has to pick up her room, make her bed, pick up the bathroom (which usually means putting away her clothes that she left on the floor the night before) and wipe the counters. Luckily for me, she wakes up early enough that we should be able to continue chores in the morning before school. She also has to fold and put away her laundry each week. Reading your list, though, I think I need to add dish duty. 😉
My mom did this with us growing up. Once we turned 10 we had to cook dinner once per week (with 5 kids that made her load much lighter), do our own laundry, clean the house and we even learned how to mow the lawn. We HATED it!!! But when I got married at 18, I was grateful for all that I had learned growing up. I knew how to keep our house (apt) clean and how to actually cook a meal. There were no burnt suppers for us! 🙂 So stick with it…someday it will pay off and they will be grateful!
Mel says
I’m terribly mean too, however I am their mother not their maid. Nor do I pay them for it, they live here too….worst mother ever LOL I can say this, my teenagers, while they annoy me, always are complimented on being respectful and in general good kids. So I feel totally justified in my “meanness”
Kimbo says
ultimate compliment to have kids that are respectful!! I don’t pay my kids either. i pay them in clothes, and food, and school supplies, and toilet paper, and heat.
Julie says
AWESOME! I knew I wasn’t the only tribe member.
I love your break-down lists for dusting and bathrooms – I’m totally poaching. My 3 boys seem to have amnesia every time I tell them to clean up – they request help and half-step by half-step instructions every time!
Angela says
Thanks you so much for sharing our Age Appropriate Chore list!!! 🙂
Jackie says
Love this. Will need to use this soon. I’ve been working with the kids on personal responsibility. My son does his folding and putting away of his laundry, both kids help fold. I hang his clothes in his closet because he isn’t tall enough yet. Both kids can clean their room, which needs to be done now, but it’s bedtime, so tomorrow. We’ve been reading all summer, and starting some summer school work that all kids got at the end of the year before school starts in a few of weeks. I need to add more to their duties. Thanks for this.
Tina S. says
I live for lists. I’m of the same camp as the rest of you ladies. These are just things the kids need to know as they grow up so they can be successful individuals in life. I would rather see them putting in the effort, and me reward them on occasions and sometimes splurging instead of having them believe they should always work for “something” whether it be money or game time, etc. Sure, we work at jobs to earn a paycheck, but where did we get our work ethic? It’s important.
I’m gearing up for back to school checklists. Summer and back to school are two different seasons in this house.
Tedi says
You are not a mean mom by any means!! I think you are a smart mom. I went to girls camp this past week and there was a girl there who doesn’t do a single chore – like doesn’t make her bed, doesn’t clean her room!! I thought to myself, your mom is doing the biggest dis-service EVER to you!! And let me tell you – she was the laziest girl at camp and had her crap everywhere!! It was so frustrating!! So… Thank you! Your kids will one day be grateful that you showed them how to do crap around the house.
And yes, I love saying crap just like you. I think we could be friends!!